Shane's build thread

[SHANE 73Z]

Hey all,

Just wanted to introduce myself & outline the build presently occurring in the garage. This is not my first go round with these trucks. Story time……..

For my first vehicle (1993 or so), my father & I restored a 1969 GMC pickup. It was a mutt. We started with 3 trucks & a pile of parts to end up with a ½ ton long bed, 4wd, sbc, auto. The frame started as a 2wd drive that we transferred the front leaf spring mounts. We rebuilt the 350 and installed it with the supposedly rebuilt trans & transfer case. The truck served me well through my last year of high school & into college. The trans crapped the bed & my father performed a swap to an SM465 & Rockwell T221 case. Not long after that the coupler between the trans & t-case gave up & I parked the truck.

I had been looking for a first gen Camaro as a graduation gift (to myself) from college. Just before graduation in 1997 I found my 73 Camaro Z28(hence the screen name)locally. I had to fix some minor issues & daily drove it, except for winter. When I parked the truck I finally bought a true daily driver. My parents moved away from the house I grew up in & left the parked truck with a friend. Without our knowledge he scrapped the truck due to new city ordinances.

I had worked on my 73 for the last 15 years…….but only mechanically. I enjoyed the car & built it to suit my tastes only. I intended for the car to be a great all around machine that could hopefully tackle an autocross from time to time. It certainly wasn’t the most comfortable car, but it put a smile on my face when behind the wheel. In those 15 years there were only a few instances of it being undrivable and it only ever saw a tow truck once…………due to a failed pressure plate.

To the present…

My father bought a 1969 GMC C1500 long bed a few years ago. About a month ago, he decided he was done with it & asked if I wanted to buy it. I didn’t hesitate for a second. I sold the 73 as a roller minus the rear axle. I intend for this truck to be my new hot rod, mostly for scaring little kids and making black marks here & there.

I purchased a swb coil frame to put under it & am currently looking for a stepside bed. My next post will outline what is currently procured for the build.

Shane